Connect to an INDI camera
Forum rules
'+1' posts are welcome in this area of the forums to indicate your support for a particular feature suggestion. Suggestions that get the most +1's will be seriously considered for inclusion in future versions of SharpCap.
'+1' posts are welcome in this area of the forums to indicate your support for a particular feature suggestion. Suggestions that get the most +1's will be seriously considered for inclusion in future versions of SharpCap.
Connect to an INDI camera
Can you add the ability to connect to an INDI camera?
The big advantage of the INDI protocol is to be able to work on a network architecture.
For example: a small computer like a NUC or a Raspberry PI connected to the Camera near the telescope and a control PC with sharpCap connected with Wifi or ethernet cable to control the camera.
The client part of INDI can be build and use on Windows plateform.
I have already create a small INDI client in C++ on a Windows computer I know C++/C#/Java languages and if you want I can help.
The big advantage of the INDI protocol is to be able to work on a network architecture.
For example: a small computer like a NUC or a Raspberry PI connected to the Camera near the telescope and a control PC with sharpCap connected with Wifi or ethernet cable to control the camera.
The client part of INDI can be build and use on Windows plateform.
I have already create a small INDI client in C++ on a Windows computer I know C++/C#/Java languages and if you want I can help.
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Re: Connect to an INDI camera
Hi,
interesting idea - it's a shame there doesn't seem to be an ASCOM camera driver that talks to INDI devices as that would give a workable solution for now (looks like there is the other way round - an INDI server that talks to ASCOM devices).
I already have Canon DSLR lined up as the new devices to be supported in the next version, but I will keep this in mind.
cheers,
Robin
interesting idea - it's a shame there doesn't seem to be an ASCOM camera driver that talks to INDI devices as that would give a workable solution for now (looks like there is the other way round - an INDI server that talks to ASCOM devices).
I already have Canon DSLR lined up as the new devices to be supported in the next version, but I will keep this in mind.
cheers,
Robin
Re: Connect to an INDI camera
Hi,
I would like to add myself as a user who would really like to use Sharpcap with an INDI camera. I am trying to do EAA, and Sharpcap looks like the best program out there to do this. However, I am controlling my mount / guider / camera through INDI via a Raspberry Pi which allows me to control everything remotely. It would be awesome if Sharpcap could support an INDI camera so I don't have to use a USB cable between the camera and laptop which is defeating the purpose of using INDI.
Clear skies,
-Gene
I would like to add myself as a user who would really like to use Sharpcap with an INDI camera. I am trying to do EAA, and Sharpcap looks like the best program out there to do this. However, I am controlling my mount / guider / camera through INDI via a Raspberry Pi which allows me to control everything remotely. It would be awesome if Sharpcap could support an INDI camera so I don't have to use a USB cable between the camera and laptop which is defeating the purpose of using INDI.
Clear skies,
-Gene
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Re: Connect to an INDI camera
Hi,
just to let you know that while the next version won't support INDI cameras directly, it will have an option where it will pick up files saved into a folder as a 'camera'. That means that you could have one application that supports your INDI camera that just saves each frame to a folder and then SharpCap will see each new file that arrives in the folder and processes it as if it had come from a camera (so for instance live stacks it). Not perfect, but a viable workaround for some.
cheers,
Robin
just to let you know that while the next version won't support INDI cameras directly, it will have an option where it will pick up files saved into a folder as a 'camera'. That means that you could have one application that supports your INDI camera that just saves each frame to a folder and then SharpCap will see each new file that arrives in the folder and processes it as if it had come from a camera (so for instance live stacks it). Not perfect, but a viable workaround for some.
cheers,
Robin
Re: Connect to an INDI camera
Great Robin,
This will work just fine. I have used Deep Sky Stacker Live and AstroToaster which works this way. One thing that I'm finding though, if/when Sharpcap supports INDI cameras, the WiFi connection dramatically lowers the frame rate. As long as I'm not trying to do planetary imaging, this shouldn't be a problem.
Clear skies,
-Gene
This will work just fine. I have used Deep Sky Stacker Live and AstroToaster which works this way. One thing that I'm finding though, if/when Sharpcap supports INDI cameras, the WiFi connection dramatically lowers the frame rate. As long as I'm not trying to do planetary imaging, this shouldn't be a problem.
Clear skies,
-Gene
Re: Connect to an INDI camera
I would like to add my voice to this request. I have been working with a Stellarmate using the INDI server with KStars and Ekos and really miss the SharpCap experience. Thanks.
-Chris
-Chris
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Re: Connect to an INDI camera
Hi I have been considering using a Raspberry Pie based (EKOS/ Stellarmate) to control my set up and wondered if there was any movement in SharpCap accessing the Raspberry Pie remotely and using INDI drivers?
I note that there maybe some movement using INDI and ASCOM in conjunction. See http://www.cloudmakers.eu/windi/
INDI Server for Windows is a wrapper and INDI server for ASCOM drivers. It was developed as a supporting module for jINDI cross platform observatory control software, but can be used with any other INDI client running on the same or a remote machine (e.g. AstroImager, AstroTelescope, AstroGuider, INDI Control Panel, iINDI, KStars, XEphem PixInsight or CdC).
I note that there maybe some movement using INDI and ASCOM in conjunction. See http://www.cloudmakers.eu/windi/
INDI Server for Windows is a wrapper and INDI server for ASCOM drivers. It was developed as a supporting module for jINDI cross platform observatory control software, but can be used with any other INDI client running on the same or a remote machine (e.g. AstroImager, AstroTelescope, AstroGuider, INDI Control Panel, iINDI, KStars, XEphem PixInsight or CdC).
Re: Connect to an INDI camera
Regarding your statement: "INDI Server for Windows is a wrapper and INDI server for ASCOM drivers". You are referring to wINDI from CloudMakers. I tried it last night. It did not work well when using the INDI-client Ekos that is built into KStars. I suspect that wINDI doesn't play well with other INDI clients either. I posted a question at their forum. The response from the lead developer was essentially don't use wINDI, instead run the INDI server on a Linux laptop, Mac, or Raspberry Pi. That of course means that no ASCOM drivers for you.
Brian
Brian
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Re: Connect to an INDI camera
Thanks Brain. I though that this might be the case. But it was worth exploring.
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Re: Connect to an INDI camera
SharpCap is a great program, I use it recently on mac + virtual box and I am fine. Currently for remote control I use a Raspberry Pi with an indi Server and kstars-ekos and ccdciel (livestacking) I can say that the remote sessions for the deepsky work well. If SharpCap supported then it would be just great!